


When You're in Need..

by jagggedstar



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Female Reader, Gender-Neutral Frisk, Mute Frisk, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route - "I want to stay with you.", Reader Is Not Chara, Reader Is Not Frisk, Reader-Insert, Slow Burn, flufffest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2018-09-03 03:14:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8694169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jagggedstar/pseuds/jagggedstar
Summary: You move across the city to start your new job and begin a new life helping others. Little do you know so much is about to change!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! this is my first post here. I've been in love with UT since it came out and I gave in to writing something about it. I am self insert trash and can the summary get any cheesier? There'll be more eventually but we're moving house so it'll be sporadic for a bit

With your bag clutched to your side, you lifted a hand and knocked on the door, admiring the cute “Welcome” sign hung in the middle, decorated by hand prints in a rainbow of color. You glanced at your feet before looking up at the door and smiled at the peephole in the door. It was a beautiful little home with two stories and a porch that wrapped around the entire house. The slated walls looked like they were painted only a few weeks ago, the faint smell of primer could be detected over the aroma of yellow flowers that were planted around the steps of the porch. The house was one of a few that specked the land, nestled near the forest. Only a 10 minute walk was needed to reach the more urban area, where offices and stores were. A cool breeze teased your hair, pulling at your light sweater. It had been only a few months since the barrier was broken and humanity had to be reminded that they were not the only ones on this world. After getting over the initial shock, you were completely excited with the new creatures that entered the city. There was an uproar in politics as what to do with the new arrivals and how to easily and smoothly intertwine this group of people. Afterwards, it had been decided that they were individuals deserving the same respect and opportunity, and began making plans to help settle the newcomers. You had a job offer that required you to be in an office that was near the outskirts of the city, and since it was an hour’s drive from your little apartment on the other side of the city you decided to move. It wasn’t very exciting to someone from the outside, but to you it was a new adventure. You would be doing paperwork involving conflicts between monsters and humans, as there were many humans against the introduction of these new creatures. Your parents held mixed feelings for your decision, happy you were able to land a full time job, but worried because the area was where many monsters from the Underground resided. However, you were anything but nervous about meeting these newcomers. You had so many questions, and was determined to help them as best you could in a world that had hatred for anything that deviated from the norm. You grimaced slightly at the thought, how can humans who hate each other for the color of their skin or what they believe in come to fully embrace the monsters?

After a few moments of you wringing your hands, you heard a shuffle at the door as well as 2 locks and a chain being undone. A warm, pleasant scent of pastry and comfort surrounded you as your eyes met those of the figure that stood before you. The voice on the phone had sounded lovely but that didn’t prepare you for the regal creature that met you on this cool afternoon.

“Oh hello! You must be _____!”

She grabbed your hands, her white fur amazing you with its incredible softness. She had on a worn, baby-blue dress that hung half way down her legs and had straps that looked a little loose. A frilly cupcake apron adorned her torso, and her feet were barefooted on the wooden floor. At first you wondered if her feet got cold since it was late November and heating never warms the floors, but you mentally smacked yourself. She has fur, you dummy. You returned the smile, giving her hands a returning squeeze.

“Ms. Toriel! Thank you so so much for letting me rent a room with you. I’m very grateful!”

Toriel laughed, and offered you to come in. You stepped over the threshold and immediately felt at home. The living room was spacious. In the middle the ceiling extended the full height of the house, exposing a couple doors upstairs and the upstairs walkway was lined with a gorgeously decorated guardrail, painted white. The room had a large, plush-looking chair placed near the darkened fireplace, and a beautiful rug circle in the middle. Beside that was a wall dedicated to shelves filled with books and knick-knacks. The rest of the walls were painted with off-white, and covered with pictures and drawings of some other place. To the left there was an opening that lead into the kitchen and on the other side was a wooden staircase that looked freshly polished. She’s really done up the place, you thought, admiring her handiwork. Toriel noticed your gaze and seemed to read your mind, gently smiling in thought.

“Ah, when we moved here, this place needed a lot of love. I had help from a few friends, which moved us in quicker.”

You nodded, wondering if the back of the house was tended too.

“That’s great you did, it would have been a lot of work for one person. I’ll be here too now so I can be some extra help as well.” At the offer Toriel’s face lit up.

“How kind! I’m sure that we’ll take you up on that. Do you have much to bring in?”

You remember the couple of boxes in your car that you decided to keep from your old home since Toriel offered a fully furnished bedroom in the ad she placed. You nodded, making small talk with her about your new job as you both walked to your car.

"I worked part time at the university as one of the political professor's assistants. I went with her to almost every council meeting when the barrier broke. I helped her to write a petition to get officials on the ball on bringing the underground residents into our society. Some of the terms we outlined actually made it into the final legislation passed!" You stated triumphantly.

Toriel looked over at you with amazement as the two of you went up the porch into the house. You stopped, your eyes darkening for a moment.

"There were many people not very happy with us. The professor had to switch to a different school because parents and some students as well as a few other teachers would protest her. Someone went as far as to break into her office and trashed it. One time someone followed me to my apartment and grafitti'd the outside. My landlord wasn't very pleased."   You sighed.

"To be honest I wasn't sure what was going to happen. I was terrified. All of a sudden I remember getting a phone call one day and someone asking me if I wanted a job helping the government with the process of bringing the monsters in. Office work mostly, taking calls and filing paperwork. They said that they needed people they could trust and had already looked into my background. Apparently it's an organization that my professor was a part of as well, though I don't know how as she was booked, and she put in a word for me." You smiled softly. Your professor was as eccentric as they got. She once chained erherself to the city's museum door when the museum announced they planned to remove the native american exhibit for some interactive pirate. She wasn't able to stop them completely but the museum did make a compromise to make a permanent exhibit of the natives in the museum. It's still in construction and your professor does check up on it occasionally."

It only took 10 minutes to unload your things and place them in your room upstairs, the both of you chatting away and finding out that you would be working together. It was simple enough. Upstairs all the carpet was a light beige, cleaned and treated. The walls in the hallway were also decorated by pictures and paintings, again all of a place that you assumed to be the monster’s former home. Your room was the last one of the left. A full-sized bed on the left side facing a small closet, and a small rickety nightstand next to the bed, only big enough for a clock and maybe a glass of water if needed. On the right side of the room there was a small dresser with a square mirror and beside that was a desk with a wooden chair. The walls were barren, still with that fresh-paint scent. After putting down the last box, you turned to Toriel with tears in your eyes.

“Than-” You were cut off with a face full of fur as the kind monster wrapped you in a hug. You hugged back tightly, your face bright red. You came from such a terrible place before, and here you were already feeling at home.

Toriel had to leave not too long after to wait for Frisk, her adopted child, at the busstop. She had taken a day off work in anticipation for helping her first ever tenant move in. It was hard getting work in this world, and she was beyond excitement to find someone to rent out her spare bedroom. It would help with bills and she could learn more about humans. She was also surprised and excited that you were to work in the same company when you told her why you had to move so far. Overall, _____ was the only person that contacted her about the room that seemed genuinely kind and honest about her intentions. Toriel understood oh too well the evil that seemed to root themselves in the hearts of humans. Not to say there weren’t any bad monsters, it’s just that with humans it seems that they have to lash out at anything not appearing regular or “right”. Toriel remembered the stares and whispers she got when taking Frisk into the city to get the required school materiel for them.

_Satanic. Disgusting._

Those were a tiny portion of the words thrown at her, but she kept her head high. She was approached by a few humans that wanted to help monsters, and was asked if she’s be one of the leaders in their business. They had seen her on television as one of the Underground's royals and wanted to have her leadership in helping bring the needed legislation in. Now every week she goes in and discusses with the others about the monsters’ way of life and the dispositions, helping to explain some of the strange things that they might do that scares humans. This company took responsibility in protecting monsters’ rights and helping to settle disputes or complaints that humans have. So far their work was starting to overflow, and hired a full team to help take cases. Nonetheless, Toriel was positive about _______. Just from your first call, there was a pleasantness that radiated from you. When you finally came, her mind was set. You were the best person to come.

After Toriel left, you proceeded to unpack. The drawers smellt of dust, and you assumed they must have not been used in a long time. Your sweaters and blouses found a home in the small closet and you placed the things you knew you wouldn't need on the shelf above the clothes railing and shut the door. You were almost done putting away your belongings when you heard a loud rapping on the door and a muffled voice from outside. You hurried downstairs, thinking maybe Toriel accidentally locked herself out, although that seemed out-of-character for the woman you only recently met. You opened the door to see a tall skeleton dressed in red jogging sweats and a red headband to match.

“Hello your Majesty! I ha-” He stopped, and a puzzled look crossed his face. “You….are not her Majesty. Are you…?” The question jabbed at a possible answer. You opened your mouth to speak, but the figure jumped up.

“I know! You are in disguise! How clever!! But as you know, I, the Great Papyrus! Can see through any ruse!” Again you were about to speak, a furry hand tapped on his shoulder.

“Hello Papyrus! I see you’ve met my new tenant ______” The skeleton looked from you to Toriel a few times and exclaimed

“I see! Her Majesty has allowed a guest! You should feel quite honored human!”

You were puzzled for a few moments before your attention was drawn to a small child clutching Toriel’s other hand. They smiled and made a few hand motions towards you. Toriel smiled.

“They’re excited to meet you. Frisk, this is ______. Our new friend!”

Your eyes widened when Toriel said their name. So this was the kid that opened the barrier, and has to make the occasional trip to the UN offices as well as other places that the ambassador to monsters must make. Frisk made a few other hand motions and started pulling on Toriel’s hand to the house.

“Oh no! Pie AFTER your homework, young one.”

You stifled your giggle at the most adorable pout the child was making, and moved aside so the 3 could come in.

“Now, your Majesty, shall I take the small human on a jog?”

Although Papyrus’s voice was a little loud, it was filled with energy and had a sense of purity to it. Toriel thought for a moment, and looked over at a clock on the wall.

“It isn’t too late, how about down to the park and back? Could you do that dear?” Frisk signed excitedly, and you made a note to yourself to learn some sign language.

With no further persuasion needed, Papyrus picked up Frisk and set them on his shoulders. “Hold tightly small human! I am the fastest jogger ever!” He set off on a relatively slow pace, despite his claims which were most likely to amuse the child. After they left you followed Toriel into the kitchen.

“So that was…”

“Papyrus, another monster I knew in the Underground. You will meet many of my, and of Frisk’s friends.”

You nodded as another thing you questioned popped into you head.

“Your majesty?” you said questioningly.

Toriel pursed her lips as she thought of what to say.

“I was queen of the monsters in the Underground, and in this new world I’m still regarded as such by monsters, but I have no recognition here in the human world. I help my kind where and when I can. We knew it would be difficult, but sometimes it is too much.”

You nodded solemnly, knowing full well that the monsters were facing hardships you could only imagine. Wanting to help filled you with determination.

* * * * *

After a couple weeks, you began to settle into a routine. Everyone would get up around 7 in the morning, and you and Toriel took turns cooking breakfast, whether that meant eggs and toast or just pouring bowls of cereal. You would give Frisk a hug when it was time for them to go to the busstop, and went upstairs to change into work clothes. Black slacks and a nice buttoned up blouse were your usual choice, with black, low heels to complete the outfit. Toriel would be back within the hour so she got ready quickly. Somedays when Frisk’s bus came early, you and Toriel had half an hour to enjoy coffee together at the kitchen table. To help save money, most days you and Toriel would carpool together, taking turns on who drove. Along the way you both would focus your conversations on work. It really helped to create motivation and energy for the day. The day ranged from amazing to disaster, based on what cases you were tasked with. No matter, by the end of the day you were ready to go home. Evenings consisted of dinner, helping Frisk with homework, and the occasional visit from Papyrus to take Frisk on jogs, sometimes complaining how his “lazy sack of bones” brother would never come with him. Today, however, was Friday and since Toriel worked 4 days a week you had to drive alone to work. As the countryside faded and was replaced with buildings, you began to notice just how dark the sky was. You didn’t remember to look at the weather today, swearing at yourself for not keeping your winter coat in the car as the first, fluffy puffs of snow landed on your windshield. You pulled into the office garage and punched in your card, waiting for the mechanical bar to lift before driving in. After finding a choice spot, you saw that there weren’t many cars in the garage at all, and wondered if there was a lot of callouts. Rubbing your arms through your light sweater, you walked to the nearest elevator as quickly as you could, pressing the 3rd floor button as soon as you stepped inside. Following your cloud-like breaths with your eyes, you admired the way they swirled in the atmosphere, changing with each movement. The doors opened and you were flooded with warmth as you stepped into the office. Glancing around, you noticed that many lights were dimmed or were off and you groaned inwardly. It must be a severe snow storm, you thought unhappily. You checked your cell phone and saw you had a missed message: ATTN BUISNESSES AND SCHOOLS CLOSED FOR SEVERE WEATHER. There was some other about how to keep safe but you pressed the power button and twisted your face. Goddamnit. You went back out to your car, still warm from your drive, and sat inside typing out a text to Toriel when (speak of the devil) she calls you. You answer to an earful of worry and questions, about how she took Frisk to the busstop only to wait for a never-coming vehicle. By the time they had gotten back to the house there was already an inch of snow down and were able to see the weather on the news. As she said this you looked to the entrance of the garage to see nothing by white and gray whipping past, snow creeping its way inside. You bit your lip in apprehension, worrying if you had to spend the night in your car. Suddenly, Toriel’s voice broke your train of thought.

“Where are you? Don’t tell me you’re at the office.”

You laughed dryly. “I’m at the office.”

There was a moment of silence before she spoke again.

“Well, I don’t want you sitting somewhere during this storm. I’m going to call Papyrus to go get you. You can leave your car at the garage since it is pretty secure and stay the night with him and his brother Sans. They live in an apartment nearby, so you won’t have to trek too far in the snow.”

You were about to tell Toriel that you had forgotten your coat, but though better than to further worry your friend. You could handle a little snow. Half an hour passed and you held your purse as you paced. A distant voice outside caught your attention, knowing immediately it was Papyrus. As soon as you stepped outside, snow went up to your ankles and trickled between your toes. You frowned, thinking about leaving your boots in the car incase storms like this happened again. You looked around in the swirling white, calling out, “Papyrus!”

You saw a figure heading your way, and with one arm across your waist and the other over your face so you could see, you pressed against the snow towards him. When you got close enough to see, you knew immediately that it wasn’t Papyrus. Instead, it was another skeleton monster shorter in stature and wearing a big blue coat, who looked at you quizzically. You realized that this was Sans, Papyrus’s brother.

“Sorry!” You shouted over the wind, “I’m-”

Before you could say anything else, Papyrus ran up “Brother! You’ve found her! Good job!”

Papyrus was all decked out in winter clothes, as well as a bright red scarf. “Let us go!” You held your arms around you, feeling the sinking bite of cold in your flesh, not even feeling your toes anymore as you followed Papyrus, his scarf acting as a beacon. Sudden warmth wrapped around you and you looked down to see the other monster’s blue jacket was draped over your shoulders.

“You looked chilled to the bone.”

The pun didn’t even register to you, only nodding in agreement, hoping your toes didn’t fall off from frostbite. You looked at Sans and smiled your thanks, your lips too cold to form words coherently. After what felt an eternity of wading through wind and snow, the three of you turned down another street and came to an archway with glass doors. Sans knocked and a kindly looking old man answered, greeting them warmly.

“So there’s the maiden in distress you were yapping about young man.”

You blushed, unconsciously wrapping the coat tighter around you. You noticed, now that the cold wasn’t filling your nose, just how nice the jacket smelled. A musky scent that must be Sans, coffee, and something you wrinkled your nose as you realized what it was: ketchup. Before you could give it another thought, you were suddenly picked up by Papyrus who cause the sight of your feet and how exposed they were to the elements. He gave you a stern lecture about the importance of footwear in the snow as you three got in an elevator and went to the 4th floor, all the while your face turned red at the attention and the fact that you were being held like a baby. You managed to make Papyrus let you down, promising to wear better shoes. Their place was the last door on the left, and while Papyrus got out his keys, you shrugged the jacket off and handed back to a much-too-relaxed Sans.

“Thank you. You’re a lifesaver”

The skeleton winked, “Anytime bud. Toriel was quite in a panic about you, so we know anyone that she cares about, we care about.”

You blushed, happy to know that Toriel cared deeply for you as you did her and Frisk, but deep in your heart you already knew that.

"By the way, I didn't mean to give you the cold shoulder back there, but that was a great pun."

You didnt know how but his smile grew even wider. "I can see you've been spending quality time from Tori."

Your hand tucked a strand of damp hair back, smiling softly. "Yeah. She's pretty great."

With a shout of triumph, Papyrus opened the door. You went inside, thankful for the warmth. Within moments Papyrus had instructed you to sit on the couch and piled blanket after blanket on you until you had a nest. You kicked off your shoes and sat criss-cross, starting to feel life in your toesies. After a few minutes you realized how uncomfortable you were in your cold, wet clothes.

“Hey, uh, Papyrus?” You asked, moving the blankets off you. “Would you mind if I take a shower here? I’d have to borrow some clothes though seeing I don’t have any extras.”

“Of course human! Let me find something appropriate!” He bolted to his room and from inside you could hear him rummaging.

“The door on the right.”

“What?” You turned your head and looked at Sans.

“The shower is the door on the right.” He gave you a smile.

“Oh, thanks.” You smiled up at him, dimples forming along the edges of your mouth.

His skull looked a touch blue, and you wondered if skeletons got cold too. Papyrus came back with a huge t-shirt that read, ‘stud muffin’ and you guffawed at its ridiculousness. You took it anyways with gratitude and headed to the shower, opening the door on the right down the hall, as Sans said. It was a towel closet, with a piece of paper with a crudely drawn bathtub and the word ‘shower’. A snicker came from behind you.

“I was gonna pull the old “spring-loaded silly snake” but you're new so i'll cut you some slack.”

You laughed, “Well thank you for your kindness! I’ll have to see how to repay you.”

Sans looked as if he had raised an eyebrow (raised an eyebone?) in question to your response. “The bathroom is really the door on the right.” He grinned. Your eyebrows scrunched in confusion when the skeleton turned you to face back down the hall towards the livingroom, and opened the door that was now on your right. And it really was the bathroom. You laughed at the cleverness, and walked in, making sure you had grabbed one of the spare towels from the closet. There is nothing like a hot shower after being in a snowstorm, you thought. Hot water warmed up the rest of you that was still frozen, and after a half hour of standing you turned off the faucet and stepped out. Drying was done and you put on your underwear and the borrowed shirt. You fished your cellphone from your pant pockets and took a selfie, sending it to Toriel captioned, “Sleepover!” You sent it and gathered up your stuff, walking down the hall back to the living room and wondered how this night would turn out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starting your day with the skelebros, it can't be that bad right? Sans seems a bit weird but Paps is cheerful enough for the both of them. TW: there is a little blood in this, and some strong language

You left the bathroom, adjusting the towel on your head. From down the hall you could hear Papyrus chatting to Sans about some practice with Un-Somthing. You didnt quite catch the name. Rounding the corner you saw Papyrus wearing a "Kiss the Cook" apron, whisking something while standing at the entrance of the kitchen. San was lounged on the couch by the back wall, the tv on and playing the weather channel quietly.

" _Heavy snowfall is expected to cease by the early morning_.." You sighed at the weather forecast, catching the attention of the brothers.

"Ah human! I hope you had a nice time! I too enjoy a relaxing wash after an extreme day!" Papyrus motioned excitedly, nearly spilling what he was stirring.

You smiled, "So, _water_ you guys up to?"

Sans snickered while Papyrus groaned outwardly.

"You have officially lost your cupcake privileges."

"What?! That is no fair, I'm your guest right?"

Papyrus scoffed, "I gallantly rescue you and you fill my home with tasteless puns, I would never be that _cold_."

Your eyes widen in realization when he winked at you, Sans absolutely lost it, his laughter filling the room. The rumble of his voice felt familiar to you, like a distant memory. It caught you off guard, feeling a light jolt in your chest. In between gasping breaths, he choked out, "Oh my god, Paps, I can't believe it."

Papyrus looked at him with a mischievous glint in his eye. "I overheard you speaking to Grillby making a bet that I wouldn't stoop to your level for laughs, that's $5 you're out!"

Sans laughed even harder. "Best bet I've ever lost."

Papyrus grinned, and turned back into the kitchen. "Now, enough foolery! I am already late preparing our treats and I'm sure Human ______ cannot wait to try my famous cupcakes!"

You sat down on the other side of the couch from Sans, pushing the blankets into a neat pile on the floor. "So, uh, you must be the 'lazy sack of bones' that Papyrus keeps referring to, Sans right?" you smiled, attempting to maintain eye contact with him.

His features were relaxed, eye glints looking back at you. "The one and only. I'm glad that my reputation precedes me." He stretched and settled further into the sofa, still glancing over at you. "Paps talks about you sometimes, and of course Tori has nothing but praises about you. It's not often we see humans that kind. Usually it's a ploy to use us." His voice sounded like he was joking but his eye glints seemed to become sharper, as if they were looking through you. A cold feeling shivered down your spine but you chose to ignore it.

"Toriel and Frisk have welcomed me into my home and I would never do anything to hurt them." You stated, as if you were almost challenging him. _I would do anything to protect them_ , you thought, _I will do all I can for them because I care for them. I love them. My family_. You broke your stare in shock at your own thoughts, repeating them in your mind. You already loved them and thought of them as your family. I hasn't even been a full 2 months and you already cared about them so much. You could feel your love filling up your chest and you sighed. When you looked back up Sans was looking at you softly.

"Sorry, you know what it's like. You've heard the stories..Paps always tells me I'm too on edge and I guess I am."

You sat up on your knees and reached over, clapping a hand on the skeleton's shoulder. "Well you know what there are humans out there that want to help and I happen to be one of them!" You smiled at him, hope filling your face. "So get used to it!" He stared at you in slight shock, a blue tint on his cheek bones. The expression on his face relaxed and he started chuckling.

"You know what pal? I like you." He smiled widely, and you could almost believe that he was at ease with you. The glint in his eyes gave it away, there was something he was holding back, something that kept him from trusting you. That chill came back and this time you couldn't ignore it. It felt like you were going to have a bad time.

You jumped up, a little too quickly and you fell face first into the pile of blankets on the floor, shouting out in surprise before being muffled.

"Human? OH MY GOD SANS WHAT DID YOU DO"

"What? I didn't do anything she's just this clumsy"

You lifted your head up to see Papyrus hurrying over to you, helping you up. The towel on your head fell off, damp hair framing your face as you tilted your head up to look at Papyrus. An orange tint filled his cheek bones.

"Thank goodness you had a soft fall!" You ran a hand through your hair, brushing it back.

"Lucky me haha." You turned to Sans "Thanks for the help, buddy." you said playfully, sticking your tongue out at him. He huffed and settled back into chair. You ignored his response and turned back to Papyrus.

"Can I help you finish up? At this rate we'll be cooking all night."

Papyrus' face lit up in happiness. "Of course! I can teach you the art of cookery!"

You followed him into the kitchen, catching a glimpse of Sans staring hard at you, a mix of distrust and something you couldn't put your finger on. He looked a little hurt? That didn't seem right to you but that was the closest word you could think of. It made no sense as you only just met the monster, what could you have done to piss him off already. I mean, yeah humans have been massive dicks to the poor monsters but he couldn't blame you. You expected monsters to have a distrust of you at first but Sans just seemed to rub you the wrong way. You hoped that you could talk to him later, you wanted to apologize but you have no idea what set him off. You mind snapped back to what you were doing, getting the cupcake pan lined with paper cups for the batter to go in. Batter that Papyrus was almost ready to pour in. Not too long later and you were setting the timer and Papyrus was sliding the tins into the oven. Once that was done, you followed Papyrus back into the living room and looked around for your phone. It was sitting on top of your clothes pile you left on the armrest of the couch. 10.00am. It felt more like midnight, and Toriel hasn't replied to the text you sent her ealier.

"Hey Papyrus," you asked, turning towards the taller skeleton who was neatly putting his apron away. "I'm just going to go down to the lobby to give Toriel a call and let her know everything is okay."

He gave you a knowing nod "Yes, I'm sure her Majesty would be pleased to have a call from you."

"Is it okay if I borrow a jacket?"

"Of course! You're not planning to go out are you?"

You shook your head "Of course not, I just don't feel dressed enough" You motioned to your current outfit. "Like, I know I'm a stud muffin but I don't need the whole apartment to know."

Papyrus was about to say something when a coat was placed on your head. The sudden smell of coffee and ketchup filled your nose.

"Wha" you voice called out, muffled by the fabric. You pulled it off and held it in your hands, not knowing how you didn't notice Sans getting up from the couch. "Wh-"

"Just bring it back 'kay?"

Sans meant something more by that but that other reason you couldn't think what it was. He turned away and started down the hall, you called out

"Of course, I'll be back"

He stopped for a brief moment and then continued, turning into the first room on the left. The door slammed shut and you looked at papyrus, who had been following his brother with a sad look in his eyes.

"Someone's moody" you noted, "What the hell is his problem?" You felt a little disgrunted by Sans' words.

Papyrus glanced over at you, sighing. "He means well. He's just not as willing to let humans in as some of us are.."

You've never heard Papyrus speak so quietly, a sad undertone in his voice.

"He was hurt pretty bad by the last human, we all were. But Sans felt the brunt of it."

You wanted to know more but Papyrus looked at you sadly, and you didn't want to make him think anymore of what was making him sound so sullen. You  sprung him with a hug, your arms thrown over his shoulders and pressed yoruself against his bony body.

"I'm sorry Papyrus you don't need to tell me, I promise I'm not like them, and I'll fight for all of you!" You let go and stood tall.

The poor skeleton's face was flushed orange, but got over himself and shouted out "Of course! and with us no one can stomp us down!"

You slipped the jacket on and walked over to the door. "I won't be long"

Papyrus nodded at you, smiling happily. You walked out and went over to the elevators, and headed down to the lobby. It was quiet and no one is sight. A little sign on the front desk read 'Back in 15', you cursed yourself for not asking to borrow some socks, your poor feet freezing on the tile floors. You found a comfy chair tucked away in a corner and you sighed, pulling your phone out. You scrolled down to Toriel's number and dialled.

"Hello ______! I was just about to send you a message. I just saw your photo and it looks like you're having fun."

You chatted away, telling how great they were and how you made cupcakes with Papyrus. You suddenly stopped talking, thinking about what Papyrus said.

"_______? What's wrong?"

You could hear the worry in her voice and you smiled at her motherliness.

"Sans doesn't seem to like me I think. He jokes with me but there's something about him that I'm not really sure about. Papyrus talks so highly of him and I trust that but he just strikes me as..I can't place it but he..I feel like he's judging me for something I haven't done. Papyrus said someone hurt him and I totally get that if it was a human but that isn't fair to blame me?" You huffed, your voice breaking a little. You hadn't noticed but tears welled up in your eyes. "Who could do something that hurt someone so bad that they cant trust others that are like that person? I swear if I find out who they are.." you stopped, how could I make threats when I don't even know what the hell had happened? Toriel was silent the whole time you rambled. You heard her clear her throat.

"I know child, please be patient with him. What Papyrus said is true but it's for Sans to tell and not any of us. He will come around and he will let you know. Just in the meantime get to know him. You proved yourself to be an amazing person quickly in our home and I know that he will understand. Maybe befriending him will help him as well."

You wanted to question what she meant by that but you decided to stay quiet. You had hours before the storm would letup, and you were going to make the most of it. She changed the subject to what she and Frisk had been doing. Crafts and extra homework filled up their time and she expressed how happy she was that they had gone grocery shopping a few days ago so they were fine for now. She advised that if you needed any food to ask Papyrus and that she would pay him.

"I couldn't do that, it's too cold out there!"

Toriel laughed, "If there is anything that Papyrus loves more than helping others is an expedition. He's strong and isn't susceptible to the cold. He's used to it."

You shrugged, trusting her judgement. "Well, I'll head back upstairs. They must be wondering where I've gotten too."

"Of course! Tell them I said hi!"

You promised and ended the call, smiling as you got back up. Your toes curled up instinctively when your feet hit the floor. You rushed over to the elevator, pressing the up button. As you waited you noticed two people walk in the lobby, shaking the snow off of their clothes. "Damn storm made it harder than it should've been to get here." a gruff voice said. The other figure nodded, adjusting their jacket. Just then the elevator signalled its arrival, making the two figures look at you, one of them whispering to the other. Something about them made you shudder and you hurried inside. Before the door closed, a gloved hand stopped them.

"Mind if we join ya?"

It was one of the people, a man in his late 20s with stringy brown hair and a 5 o'clock shadow. The circles under his eyes make his face seem hollow and the smile he had was clearly forced. You stepped back instinctively.

"Go for it."

He continued to smile "So what floor you need sweetie?"

Something about him seemed familiar, and it struck you. You had seen his picture on a watch list at work of suspects that were breaking into and vandalising monsters homes. This is too early for them to be out doing things like this, nearly everyone would home and see them. Unless he's just scoping out potential targets. You internally nodded, that must be it.

"Ah, " _I can't give them the real floor where Paps and Sans are, you couldn't risk them being seen_. "5 please."

He pressed the 5 and he smirked as the doors closed shut, sealing them in from prying eyes. The lights in the small room flickered once and stayed steady. The constant blink of a security camera kept a steady beat as the three of you stood quietly. The second man coughed why the first one decided to break the silence

"So what is a cutie doing up here, that doesn't look like something you would normally be wearing." He mentioned your mix match outfit that was clearly 3-4 times your size.

Your face went red and whipped up a lie, "Heh, one night stand. I had to sneak out to make a call otherwise the guy'd wake up. I'm getting a friend of mine to pick me up. She has a 4wheeler so she'll manage to get here. I just can't stand him any more." Your red face made it convincing that you were only shy because you were being caught in the act. You hated every moment of this. 

The guy burst out laughing and you silently congratulated yourself.

"You..one night stand? You don't look the type!" His partner grinned, eyeing you up and down, jutting into the conversation. "Ever go for seconds?"

You shuddered but smirked back. "Only if there's enough alcohol in my system would I even give you a second thought." The smell of smoke was overwhelming, and you had to keep yourself composed. It wasn't even the nice tobacco smell, it was the type where they smoked $5 cigarettes that they picked up off the floor of a Kmart parking lot. It made your stomach turn.

5 oclock shadow guy was rolling on the floor at this point and the other man glared at you. _Please let me out_ , you begged to the elevator as it made its crawl past the 3rd floor. Shadowman nudged his buddy.

"It sounds like she'd sleep with a monster before you!." He's trying to fish information from me. You laughed a little loudly, almost too loudly. 

"Don't let the beast on floor 6 hear you, he may take that as a compliment." Shadowman eyed you suspiciously, and you shrugged as you spun another lie "Hey, I used to bang a guy two doors over." You put your hands up in mock defense. "TMI sorry. He had a badass car. Most of the guys I find here I never see again since they aren't here that long. Girl's gotta get her fun somehow."

Shadowman relaxed somewhat and looked at you a little hungrily, stepping towards you. "Do you look for fun else places?"

You tilted your head slightly and smiled, "Depends what I get. Alcohol, free rides, helps make up for most of the mediocre sex I get."

He fished a card out of his pocket and handed it to you. "Well sweetie if you ever want a good time just give me a call." It had his name, number, and the same of some shabby dealership that was across town. It was smudged and had an ashy look to it. You held it between two fingers and slipped it into your shirt, almost making a show of it. 

Pulling your hand out slowly, you looked him up and down, winking while your mind was screaming "Sounds good to me"

The elevator came to a stop and you stepped out, turning back to the guys.  "Is this your stop too?"

He shook his head, almost looking a little disheartened "We have a friend we're meeting a few floors up."

 _You're going to look for the beast_. You winked, "Well, see you cowboys later."

They both waived and the doors closed. You immediately bolted to the stairs, your heart pounding wildly in your chest. You threw the door open and jumped down the stairs two at a time, stepping onto the landing and directly into a few shards of glass. You hissed at the pain and opened the door to the 4th floor, limping along the carpet. The dark floor soaked up the blood that trickled from your feet leaving no trace. You turned down a hall and found the brothers' door and pounded on it, your hands shaking.

"Who's there?" Sans called out. 

"Let me in"

"Let me in who?"

"Let me in or I'll kick your fucking ass. " You hissed angrily through the door, leaning up against it. You didn't have time for this. A distant ding of an elevator made your heart stop in its tracks. 

The door opened and you fell flat on your face in front of Sans. You jumped up. ignoring the stinging in your feet as you slammed the door shut, bolting it into place.

"Hey wants going on", asked Sans, concern lacing his voice.

You kept your face glued to the peep hole, waiting for them to come down. One minute passed, then another. But no one came. The moment you relaxed a sob came bursting from your chest and you collapsed to the floor. You shook, letting the fear you held bottled up pour out.

"______!" Sans exclaimed, reaching out for you but pulled away when he saw your feet and little pools of blood gathering under you on the laminated entryway.

"Sans? Is the human ba-" Papyrus rounded the corner from the hall and stopped in his tracks.

Sans had knelt down and held you close to his chest. Your hands grasped his shirt, tears streaming down your face as your sobs were muffled by his coat.

"What happened?" The taller of the brothers rushed over, placing a gloved hand on your shoulder.

"I dont know she came back and fell down and she's injured." He motioned to your crimson stained feet. Papyrus stood up and hurried to the kitchen and came back with a damp kitchen towel and he got down beside you and sans.

"Brother...there's something in her wounds.." Papyrus said as he checked your feet over. "Ah I know! It's glass!" Papyrus stopped and furrowed his brow. "Why were your stepping in glass? Has nothing I told you about proper footwear-"

You hiccuped "S-Sorry Papy, I h-had to run-" Another sob wracked your chest and you buried your face against Sans again involuntarily. You could feel his breathing become shallow, and you couldn't tell if it was from anger. 

"Why were you running?" Sans asked.

Before you could answer Papyrus cut in. "She can tell us once we've taken care of these wounds. I'm sure she's in no mood for story telling with the pain she's in."

Sans nodded, and moved to get up. He crouched down again and murmured quietly, "I'm going to pick you up, okay?" You nodded, your voice escaping you.

One of his arms went under the crook of your legs while the other gripped your upper body and pulled you too him. For his size he was incredible strong. He made sure your feet didn't touch anything and took you over to the couch while Papyrus made short work of the blood stains on the floor with a few wipes, and headed back into the kitchen to throw them away. As Sans settled you down, he kept your legs up and placed a few pillows under your feet to keep them elevated, sitting on the edge of the couch near your head. You reached for his hand, squeezing it tightly, the smaller skeleton's face turned a soft blue in response. Soon Papyrus was by your size with a small med kit he had gotten from the kitchen sink, giving your feet attention. You clenched your teeth as he used tweezers to pull out the offending shards, and he dabbed the fresh wounds with a cotton swab soaked in hydrogen peroxide. In a moment it was over and he was placing antibiotic cream on the wounds and sealing them with gauze and wrapped it all with a stretchy bandaging.

You sniffled, "Thanks Papy, I didn't know you could be a good doctor."

His face lit up slightly orange and he smiled, "Of course! Any future member of the Royale Guard had to be skilled in many things! Medical assistance being one of them!"

As he packed away his tools you turned your attention to Sans, who was still sitting next to you. He was looking at you strangely, but it wasn't like it was earlier. Your thoughts became urgent and you squeezed his hand

"Sans, you both are in danger."

Confusion filled his face, "What do you mean?"

You took a deep breath. "These two guys came in and I recognized one of them. He's someone we have on a suspect list for people burglarising and destroying monsters homes. He's associated with others that are committing hate crimes against monsters. He asked me where i was going and I lied and said 5th floor and we made small talk and I lied about monsters being on the 6th floor and once I got off I ran down the stairs to warn you guys."

Tears had filled up your eyes again and streamed down your cheeks, "I was so scared that they would hurt you two and they freaked me the hell out and I lied and they were looking at me like they wanted to.." You words ran together as you avoided looking at the skeleton. He probably didn't care, he's probably mad at you for making his brother worry. You stole a glance and you noticed that the glints in his eyes were gone, replaced by inky nothingness.

"6th floor huh?" He stood up suddenly, dropping your hand on the couch. 

You struggled to sit up, "Sans what are you doing?"

Something flickered in his left eye socket but it disapeared when you reached for him, placing your hand against his arm. His eye glints had returned and he looked to you,a mix of sorrow and anger greeted you. In a moment that was gone and his normal self appeared. He made the excuse of heading to his room to make a call. Papyrus stood up and went to the kitchen to put away his med kit, mumbling something about getting you proper footwear. You leaned back, and let your eyes close, giving in to a wave of exhaustion. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the kudos for chapter 1!! You all are amazing <3


	3. Chapter 3

"...and today darlings we have a special guest who is my co star in my upcoming movie.." 

Your eyes squinted open. Shadows flickered across the room from the tv. How long did I sleep for? you thought, turning your head to the right. Right in front of you a round skull was leaning up against the couch, pointed towards the television. A light snore drifted from the skeleton, and you noticed that it was Sans. Papyrus was either in his room or he had gone out. You suddenly felt over heated, so you propped yourself up, biting your cheeks from the pain in your feet. After gently pushing the blanket on you, you managed to shrug off Sans's jacket and stretched over to put it on the discarded blanket. Feeling much cooler, you laid back down again. Your mind fully woke up and the memories of today came flooding back. Work, snowstorm, Papyrus, Sans, Toriel, those goons, getting back to the apartment. You felt for your phone from the jacket pocket and turned it on. 6:27pm.

"You're up."

You were startled, and dropped your phone, hearing the thud it made as it slipped off the couch onto the floor.

"Heh, didnt mean to spook ya."

Sans remained staring at the television, but his hand appeared over his shoulder, your phone in hand. You gently took it, and sat up, dragging your legs carefully so as not to move your feet too much.

"No biggie, I thought you were asleep."

"I was, but you were moving around so much that not even the dead can sleep through that. "

"You're dead?"

"No, just a nice figure of speech"

You sighed loudly when you reached over for the borrowed clothing and pushed it on the floor next to Sans.

"Brought your jacket back by the way."

Sans went quiet for a moment before replying. "Thanks."

You glanced around the room again, "So where is Papyrus?"

"He went out to Toriel's, the snow is coming down much less than earlier and he's getting some things, clothes, shoes, etc. I called Toriel after you fell asleep. Who ever scared you like that will meet their end if she ever finds out who they are."

He chuckled, "She treats you like one of her own. But I agree with her, if I ever lay an eye socket on them they'll wish they never set foot in this town."

The threat sounded vaguely ominous. You scooted down and slowly slid yourself off the couch until you were sitting next to Sans. Your feet throbbed slightly but it was bearable.

"You were almost de-feeted out there." Sans commented, a slight grin on his face.

You nudged him with your elbow, "That pun is just sole-destroying."

Sans chuckled, not taking his eyes from the television screen. Something poked at your chest and without a thought you put a hand under your shirt and felt around, pulling the offending object from your bra. Sans had glanced over and his face went bright blue.

"What are you doing?"

You stared at the card and frowned. "One of the guys gave a card to me. I forgot I had it."

He looked surprised, "They gave you a card? What, with his details on it?"

You nodded and blushed slightly, "Yeah, I lied that I was sleeping around and they said if I ever wanted to have a good time to ring up." Your stomach twisted at the thought. "Fucking creeps."

Sans guffawed, "They actually believed that?"

You glared at him, "And how is that so hard to imagine?"

He motioned at you "You don't seem the type."

You faked taking offence. "Excuse me I have people lining up to be with me!."

Sans snorted, "Sure bud, say what you have to so you can sleep at night."

He picked up the remote from the floor and surfed the channels, stopping on a food channel. You huffed and laid out onto your left side and facing Sans, propping yourself up with your left arm, ignoring the protest from your feet. Your right arm motioned your figure.

"C'mon dude, this speaks for itself."

Sans' entire face turned blue and he started chuckling, giving way to a full out belly laugh. You sat up, blushing at your silly impulse.

He wiped tears from his eyes, "Oh my god..you're something else."

"Good right?"

"Definitely good."

He seemed to be fully relaxed. You laid out on your back and put your arms behind you head, furrowing your brow as you stared off into space.

"Hey, Sans?"

He looked over at you questioningly, "Hmm?"

"I'm sorry if I upset you earlier. I don't know what I said but you seemed unhappy and I hate upsetting anyone, especially people that I want to be friends with."

He stayed quiet and you had a moment of panic 'Oh god did I say the wrong thing?' Sans cleared his throat, and just when he started to speak the front door burst open.

"Hello Human ______! I have brought necessities!" You sat up, minding your feet. Papyrus came through with your suitcase, along with a few bags of groceries, which looked like it was bursting from the seams. He placed the suitcase down, and closed the door behind him, shaking off the layer of snow that has accumulated during his trip. 

 "Her Majesty had some great tips on what you would like to wear, though a few things she wouldn't let me get, and she insisted she organize!"

His face lit up, "Oh! Her Majesty had me send you a letter as well." He smiled brightly, pulling a sealed envelope out of his coat pocket.

Within 2 steps he was already in front of you and held the letter out. As you gently took the letter, you gave the tall skeleton the biggest smile. "Thanks Papy, you're a real friend." Papyrus beamed and looked proud. "Of course! I am a master at being a good friend! And now, to continue that legacy, I will make you my famous cuisine!!" With that he turned and walked in to the kitchen to make dinner. You turned the letter over in your hands, admiring the cursive writing on the front from Toriel as you opened the envelope up. 

 

    _Dearest _______,_

 

 _I've arranged a few things for you while you are staying with Sans and Papyrus. Papyrus was so keen to assist that I had to keep him busy picking out 2 outfits whilst I arranged the rest of the pack. I must admit he does know how to put an outfit    together! There is a small towel, an extra blanket laced with heat magic just in case. I also made sure you had a few extra pairs of underwear and another bra"_ Your face went a little red but your heart swelled up, _She's so motherly,_ you thought happily. Sans  glanced over in your direction, a quizzical expression on his face but you didn't notice as you continued on reading.

_I also threw in a few of those items you had under the bathroom sink, I have some understanding of what they are for in human use. I hope you don't have to use them but if you have to they are there."_

Now your face turned into a beet, and you rubbed your forehead with your hand. Very motherly. 

 

"what's up?"

You looked up and looked over to Sans. "Ah, just Toriel being Toriel. She prepared me for war with everything in here."

Sans chuckled, "That's Toriel all right. I wouldn't expect any less from her." 

 

You turned back to the paper in your hands.

_"There's also some mini shampoos and conditioners for you as well as your toothbrush, floss, and toothpaste. Also your winter boots, which i wrapped in a plastic bag so your other belongings wouldn't get soiled. Papyrus was very insistent that these went along as well. Something about how you needed proper footwear. I've managed to squeeze in a tupperware of pie for you and the boys._

_Frisk and I hope you have a lovely time and we can't wait to have you home again._

_Love,_

_Toriel and Frisk"_

Frisk's name was written in large capital letters and you smiled warmly, knowing Frisk had taken their time and drew a little picture of the three of you outside the house during a sunny day. You folded the letter up neatly and sealed it back in the envelope. Sighing, you leaned back against the couch, your head resting against the edge of the seat with your eyes closed. 

You felt a nudge. 

"Hey..are you alright?"

Your eyes opened up, and landed on Sans, looking at you with concern. 

"Yeah why?"

"Well you're crying."

"Am I?" You felt your cheeks and they were damp. "Huh. I'm just really happy."

Sans let out a snort, "Humans cry when they're happy too? That's a new one." 

You poked him, "Haven't you ever felt so overwhelmed with happiness that it just can't contain itself and bubbles over?" 

He shrugged, "Only once I guess." 

Before you could ask what it was Sans got up, and walked to his room, closing the door behind him. Bewildered, you were about to call out when Papyrus popped his head out of the kitchen "Human______ and Sans! Dinner is prepared!!" You stood up carefully, noticing your feet only felt slightly tender.

"I think it'll just be you and me Paps."

Papyrus followed your gaze to where Sans had gone and he sighed as he turned back into the kitchen. 

You sat down at the table and propped your head up, your hand squishing into your cheek. Your hair loosely framed your face, your cheeks warming up. "What the hell is his deal?" your murmured. _Blip_.  For a brief moment your vision was nothing but shades of gray. You could see a dark blue glow from the direction of Sans' room, a confusing show of sparks flitting in and out, almost like bolts of lighting. A brighter glow of orange filtered from the kitchen, gentle bursts of light swirling away from its source. It was only then you noticed the overwhelming turquoise shimmer coming from your own chest, the color fading in your veins the further away from your torso. The light retreated to your torso and extended out into your limbs again, with the pattern of your breathing. Your breath caught itself in your throat, and you had a coughing fit, shutting your eyes. 

_What the actual fuck._

"Human! Are you okay!"

There was a clatter in the kitchen and your heard Papyrus rush over to check on you. When you opened your eyes, everything was normal, save for the concerned skeleton that was peering down at you anxiously.

You smiled sheepishly, "Yeah Pap. Just tired I guess. Still recovering."

Papyrus nodded furiously, "Then I must bring out the meal! We must keep your strength up." With that he turned and popped back into the kitchen.

You frowned down at your hands, "What the hell.." you whispered. You could swear that you could still see little flecks of light jumping out from your skin. 'I'll message Toriel,' you thought, reaching for your phone. 8:47. The time stood out against the generic background screen you had chosen months ago. You scrunched your face up a little. 

Texting can wait a moment, you thought, opening up the camera on your phone. 

You stood up, not even noticing the pain in your feet as you went into the kitchen. Papyrus was leaning over the counter near the stove, garnishing 3 plates with the final touches of the meal he had been working on. It looked like penne pasta in a homemade sauce topped with Parmesan and fresh oregano.

"Paps?"

"Ah! I see you could not but help come see the great preparations of our meal?"

His smile was bright. You liked that about Papyrus. He seemed to be the embodiment of light and positivity. You stood up on your tippie toes, turning the phone to face you both and squished your cheek against the side of his head (or at least the side of his jaw). 

"Selfie!" 

_Click._


	4. Chapter 4

Dinner went down quickly between you and Paps as you talked about favorite recipes and monster customs, and soon the leftover cupcakes followed shortly. You already guessed that the taller skeleton was a fan of the carbohydrates by the amount of empty pasta boxes that were in the trashcan while you helped him clean up. You both agreed that the evening should consist on catching you up on the latest episodes of a drama that starred one of his friends, Mettaton. You had caught a show here and there, usually on the odd evening when Toriel had it playing on the TV while helping Frisk with their homework. It wasn't really your style but you found yourself pulled to the screen every now and then. While you prepared the slices of pie for you and Paps, he went to try and persuade Sans to join you both. As you popped them into the microwave, you heard a sigh and turned to see Papyrus walk into the kitchen. 

"No Sans?" you piped up, pressing the go button.

The skeleton shook his head. "He just doesn't appreciate the fine story telling that Mettaton displays in his work!" You knew there was something more to that than he led on, but you weren't going to push it. 

 

The microwave dinged softly, and you pulled out the plate with 2 slices and grabbed 2 forks.

 

"Is it alright if we share on the plate Paps? Helps save with cleanup!" You beamed. sometimes if it was a calm evening, you and Frisk would split some snacks on a plate and share with Toriel. It made you think of being a kid again. 

 

His face lit up, "Of course! Now hurry or we'll miss the important first arc!"

 

 

 You lost count of how many episodes you had gone through. You had to admit, it was pretty dang good and you were hooked. The empty plate and forks rested on the TV stand, as well as a few empty popcorn bags that took their place besides them. It must have been near the end as tensions between the main characters were high. You and Paps were both on the floor, hands up to your faces in anticipation. 

 

_The scene took place in a old deserted stone courtyard. Around the edges of the walls flowers had claimed their spots, each fighting to be the strongest, even though no eye may never see them. A dry fountain sat in the middle, it decorative cherubs crumbling from the years of neglect. Everything seemed to glow under the moon's cool light._

_"Oh darling, you know I surely can't do this. What will they say?" Mettaton's character was pacing, when the other character grabbed his hands and held them tightly, bringing them up to their lips for a gentle kiss._

_"It won't! I promise with my soul that everything will be okay. Trust me."_

_The other character dropped to their knee, pulling a small box from their pocket. Mettaton's character was in pure disbelief._

_"Will you-" All of a sudden third figure jumped out from the shadows, welding a massive sword. Sparks seemed to fly from the metal, imitating the rage reflected in their eyes._

_"I knew it! How dare you bring shame to our family?"  They shoved the second character to the ground, pointing their weapon at them. The small box had flown from their hands and opened up, revealing a massive diamond ring._

_"Please! I can explain-" Began Mettaton's character when the new character slapped him across the face._

_"Shut up!! I can't believe you would betray us! After everything!!"_

_The second character stood up, furious. "Don't EVER touch my love again." They positioned themself and egged the newcomer on. They both ran towards each other, jumping, leaping up, ready to strike the other..._

 

The power went out. 

 

"WHAT?!" You and Papyrus screeched in unison.

 

The apartment was pitchblack, save for the emergency lights in the hallway filtering through the cracks of the front door. You stood, your legs numb from sitting on the floor so long. Papyrus was grumbling about how this was the best part while he searched for a flashlight.

A few moments passed and you heard a buzzing. _The power must be coming back on,_ you though. You sensed motion and glanced down and saw the turquoise glow pulsing from you. "What the fuck" you whispered, turning over your hands. You could see your veins faintly glowing, giving you an eerie feeling. You looked up and could see the blue sparks further away, more slow than you saw them before. Twisting around, you saw an orange glow coming closer, swirls speckling the edges. The glow came right up to you, and you could feel its presence. Its hands were on your upper arms. You could hear your name, faintly, as if you were in a dream. 

You blinked. The lights had come back on and you had a very concerned skeleton in front of you. "Human _____! What is the matter? I don't think its custom for humans to stare off into nothing, is it?" You blinked a few more times and scrunched up your face. 

"No Paps, sorry, I must just be exhausted. Can we save the finale for later? I think I need a little sleep." 

 

Paps nodded, letting go of you and straightening up "Of course! You must have rest before you can handle the next arc of the story." 

 

You decided to crash on the sofa, pulling up one of the many blankets left over from earlier that day and got out the blanket that Toriel had sent you. At the thought of today's events, you touched your feet gingerly, only to find they no longer hurt. _Paps is one hell of a medic_ , you thought. The room was once again dark as Papyrus bid you a good night, along with plugging in a bone shaped nightlight near the front door. Your eyes closed, wanting to give in to the exhaustion that seemed to seep from your bones.

 

You dozed on and off for a while.

Every time you thought you would sleep, a new nightmare popped up. It was an endless cycle of running from goons and being chased. For some reason, your arm stretched out and felt along the floor until you found what you wanted, and brought it up to you. Your arms coddled it and you nestled your face into the fabric, your heart finally feeling safe. 

 

_You found yourself in the old deserted stone courtyard. You took the time to admire the flowers, appreciating the strength and determination they had to live. The fountain bubbled with the clearest water that reflected the stars above, the marble cherubs had eyes that twinkled with mischief. Everything seemed to glow under the moon's cool light._

_"Oh darling, you know I surely can't do this. What will they say?" Mettaton's character was pacing, when the other character grabbed his hands and held them tightly, bringing them up to their lips for a gentle kiss._

_"It won't! I promise with my soul that everything will be okay. Trust me."_

_You watched the two, entranced by their movements._

_"hey pal" Sans was suddenly beside you, wearing the same getup as the other characters. The coat he was wearing showed off the physique of  his build, especially his broad shoulders. You blushed, the glimmer of the light as you stood up straight, holding your hand out to him._

_"I never thought you would make it" you mused, coaxing him out to the center. He smiled and followed you, blue sparks gently pulsing from his chest._

_A quiet ballad began to play, coming from the lips of the cherubs as he led you in a slow waltz through the corridor. He pulled you close, your eyes half-lidded as his face inched towards yours._

_"How could you betray me?"_

_With that you were falling through darkness, trying to grab anything you could..._

 

You gasped and sat up, your arms clutching the fabric of the couch in a feeble attempt to ground yourself. A dream. Just a dream. You felt around for your phone and checked the time. 5:24am. Well, you thought, at least I got some sleep. You decided that you couldn't risk having another nightmare and swung your legs over the edge of the couch, releasing the blanket you were holding. It wasn't a blanket. You groaned, seeing that it was Sans' jacket you were holding onto as you self. Of course that's why he'd be in your dream, you said to yourself halfheartedly, hoping that was just the excuse you needed as to why you were dreaming about him in the first place. 

"How could you betray me?"

The chilling words lingered in your mind as you started to get ready for the day. 

 

 

 


End file.
